Cost of living: Why we've given up our family car for bicycles

One family decided to ditch their car due to the rising costs, net zero targets and desire to become healthier.

Now, almost a year and a half later, Lindsay Hodges, Simon Harling and their two children, from Cardiff, can't imagine any other way to live.

Since making the switch to cycling in April 2021, the family claim they have saved up to £400 a month.

However, the family have said there have been many more benefits than purely the financial ones.

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"Spending more time with the kids on the cycle paths has been huge for us. The conversation and the connection has been such a big change for us as a family," said Mr Harling, who works from home as a physical activity coach but travels to meetings.

"It's difficult to see why we'd do it any other way now."

Chloe and Ellie no longer want to own cars when they grow up

Nine-year-old Chloe and Ellie, 11 said their friends and teachers are impressed they cycle to and from the classroom every single day.

The girls said when they grow up they won't be using cars to get around, they'd rather ride their bikes instead.

The decision to give up the car has eased pressure on the family's finances, as Mr Harling added the family are in the great position of not having to worry about increasing petrol prices.

Mr Harling said cycling often had increased the conversation and connection within the family

According to the Welsh Government, the number of bikes on the road in Wales hit a record high in 2020, increasing by 69.4%.

In the same year, there was also a drop in vehicle registrations in Wales with the number of cars falling by 25%.

Questioning value of cars

Jim Holder from What Car? says car ownership in the UK is decreasing and more households will be getting rid of their cars by next year because of the cost of living crisis.

"The rise in costs of fuel and insurance have really made people question whether they're getting value from something, that if we're brutally honest, is stationary 90 per cent of the time," said Mr Holder.

Lindsey, Simon and their two children have gone without their car since April of last year

Although the family say they can't imagine life without the bikes now, Ms Hodges - who commutes to work at an office on the edge of the city centre - took a bit of convincing at first.

"It was a big deal. I was unsure about visiting family. How long it would take to get to school. What it would be like when it's raining," she said.

Now, she's feeling "much better" as the family leave the house for school and work at the same time as when they had a car.

The family pledged to give up their car for just three months to see if they'd manage, but nearly a year and a half later, traffic jams and petrol pumps are a thing of the past.

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